After Hours
by Michelle285
Summary: Perry stays late, Della argues.


_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I don't own the books, I don't own the movies, etc. I own pretty much nothing._

_ A/N: I became obsessed with Perry Mason…two days ago. I became obsessed with Perry and Della around the same time. I did watch the old _Perry Mason Returns _series, so I'm not totally new to the characters…I'm just new to the old episodes. As for this story, it's very basic, since this is my first try in this…universe/fandom, whatever you wish to title it. Anyway, ramble over…I just had to explain. I hope you can enjoy! _

"You know this isn't healthy for you!" the woman exclaimed, leaning against the doorframe.

Perry Mason lifted his tired eyes to see the most beautiful woman standing in his doorway. Della Street. His secretary, his partner in…pretty much everything, his recent lover.

"Perry," Della repeated. "You can't stay here all night again." She knew if she didn't say something now, he _would _be here all night.

"Until I find something to crack this case, I don't have a choice," Perry answered.

Della fixed him with a glare. "You will be no use to this girl if you're tired. Besides, you're likely to miss something tonight. Get some rest for once, come back tomorrow and look at it with a fresh eye."

Perry sighed. "Della."

"Perry!" Della cried, with exasperation and frustration. "Being a lawyer doesn't require all this! It's a regular nine to five job!" Della regretted the words as soon as she said them, knowing the job was much more to him. "Sorry," Della whispered.

"Being a lawyer isn't a nine to five job to me," Perry explained. He knew she was sorry, he knew she didn't mean it, he knew she was just frustrated with him but he still explained. "It's an all the time job. Our clients count on us to give them everything we can. No one deserves to go to prison for something they didn't do. I have to get Miranda acquitted. She says she's innocent. She _is_ innocent."

"Staying here all night won't help," Della tried again. His devotion to his clients was one of the many reasons she loved him. Except, that is, when it came to something like this. She hated thinking that he wasn't taking care of himself.

She began to walk toward him and as she got closer, she perched herself on the edge of his desk. "Well, then how about taking a pretty lady to dinner?" Della asked, trying her last resort. She figured if she could get him to dinner maybe it would be harder to get him back to the office. She really did respect the dedication he had to his clients; she just wished he wouldn't be so cavalier about himself. "I'm a secretary. It's a regular nine to five job."

"You're my secretary," Perry reminded her. He grabbed her hand and tugged her off the desk. He then pulled her to sit down in his lap. "Hate to break it to you, but being my secretary is an all the time job too. But you don't have to stay here all night with me. You should go home."

Della shook her head. "So should you." She was going to say more, much more, but was cut off by the phone ringing. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder while he answered. She closed her eyes listening to the timbre of his voice. She wished he would agree to go home. If he was going to stay here all night, so was she. She knew he didn't want her to, but someone had to do it. He would need someone to talk to, someone to bounce ideas off of and if he did manage to find something, she would write up the brief as quick as possible so that they could both get some rest. Besides, she might just miss him and not want to go home to her apartment again tonight, alone.

"Yeah, Paul," Perry said into the phone. "I agree. I'll look it up right now. Okay, talk to you first thing in the morning." He hung up and tuned to Della.

Della couldn't help it, she had to sigh. She knew that look. Paul had found a fresh lead and was going to spend all night chasing it. Paul had given Perry an idea and there was no way he was going to go home now. She pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to his lips before easing herself off his lap, albeit reluctantly. "I'll make some fresh coffee."

-%

"I, for one, am glad this is over!" Miranda cried in excitement.

Della and Perry smiled while Paul actually laughed. "You're not the only one."

Della was ecstatic that the whole thing was over. If it had managed to go on for one more night, she wasn't sure what would've happened to Perry. He had been in his office for all hours the past four nights. She had been here too, but she had managed to catch a few cat naps on the couch. Perry never slept. She was so glad she didn't have to worry about him not going home tonight.

Miranda shot up out of her chair and spontaneously hugged Perry. "Thank you so much, Mr. Mason!"

Perry patted her back gently. "It's not a problem."

As soon as Miranda pulled away from Perry, she turned to her boyfriend, Chris. "Let's go home!"

Chris smiled and took her hand. "Thanks again, all of you."

"It was not a problem," Perry repeated, smiling. "It's what we do."

After they left, Paul heaved a huge sigh. "I would love to say let's go out and celebrate, but I'm just so tired. I'm going to go home and go straight to bed. What are you two going to…never mind, I don't think I want to know."

Della swiftly grabbed a blank piece of paper from her ever present notebook, wadded it up and threw it at Paul. "Get out of here, you."

Paul raised his eyebrows at the two, suspiciously. He studied them closely, until Perry was annoyed with it as well. "Go away, Paul."

Paul just rolled his eyes. "Bye, Perry. Bye, Beautiful." He turned to walk away and muttered under his breath, "Yeah, definitely don't want to know."

"Paul!" Perry and Della scolded simultaneously. They looked at each other when Paul left to office and traded eye rolls at the man.

Della sighed as she leaned against Perry's desk. "I think I'm about as happy as Miranda was that this is finally over."

Perry pulled her down into his lap again, but before she could say anything, he kissed her fiercely. Della looped her arms around his neck, eagerly participating in the kiss. When the need for oxygen could no longer be ignored, they reluctantly pulled apart. "I've missed that," Perry admitted.

Della rested her forehead against his. "So have I."

"Now, before we go home and get some rest, can I take the most beautiful girl in the world out for dinner?" Perry asked.

Della decided to have a little fun as she pulled back. "I'm afraid I can't go, Mr. Mason."

Perry smiled and knew (hoped at least) she was teasing. His clue was her calling him Mr. Mason. After the first few weeks, she didn't do that unless she was trying to tease him. "Oh, and why not?"

"You see, being Perry Mason's secretary is an all the time job," Della explained. "And nowhere in my job description does it say going out to dinner is part of the occupation."

"I know your boss," Perry said, playing along. "I bet I can get you some leeway."

Della sighed. "I don't know."

Perry rolled his eyes. He knew she was teasing, but also knew she really wanted him to get some sleep, which could be why she was dragging this out. Perry finally decided pull his trump card. Even though what he was about to say would require them getting less sleep, he thought she might agree anyway. He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "We can have dessert…at my house, in the bedroom…"

Della felt her cheeks color from what he was suggesting. She knew they both needed sleep, but it just might be possible that they needed this even more. Besides, they would get sleep…eventually. They would probably sleep better beside each other anyway. Della got up off his lap to grab her coat off the couch. "Well, with an offer like that, how can I refuse?"

Perry got up too. When she grabbed her coat, he wrapped his arms around her from behind. Della relaxed back into him sighing softly.

"You can't," Perry whispered. He began kissing her neck gently and Della decided to indulge for just a minute, tilting her head to the side to give him better access.

When he began to nip and suck though, she slapped his cheek gently. "Come on, dessert comes after dinner."

Perry moved his head and sighed. "Aww, but—"

Della didn't give him a chance to finish. She pulled out of his arms and grabbed his hand. "After dinner," she repeated, firmly.

Perry was still pouting. She had to roll her eyes. "Come on, the quicker we eat, the quicker we can get dessert."

Perry's pout disappeared in a second. "Well, what are you waiting for?" He walked swiftly out of the office, pulling her along with him.

Della laughed all the way to the elevator, with Perry joining in a few seconds into it as well.

_Ta-da! There you have it, my very first Perry Mason fanfic, it may not be very good, but I did try. It also may be my last for quite a while. I have no more ideas that are fully developed. Now, since you all have read my random rambles and this whole story wouldn't it be a shame to not leave a review and tell me what you thought? Yeah, I thought so. Please leave your thoughts everyone, and thanks for reading! _


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